Devon had taken the afternoon to clean the hot tub and adjust the settings so that he could use it as a pool during the day and still a hot tub later on, should he so have the desire. It was Memorial Day weekend after all and he couldn’t work the whole time. He needed to enjoy it. The official start of summer had begun and while some days were curiously short and it felt some evenings came to early, the day were still – in general – getting longer and hotter.

When he’d taken a break for some dinner he’d spotted Noel and Svetlana both online. With a quick ping and a promise of both the open bar and the open pool, Devon had company coming. He hadn’t had anyone up yet actually. That was a bit embarrassing considering he’d been here for a couple months. He dashed around cleaning before taking a quick shower and slipping into a pair of mid-thigh black swimming trunks. He dimmed the interior lights, flipped on the shifting colors of the bar, and twinkling white in the bushes out on the patio. The pool glowed blue, of course.

Opening the French doors wide he let the outdoors and indoors meld with the various top 40 of the radio playing quietly but addictingly from the built in stereo system. The sun set was fleeting westward over the horizon and while Devon longed to see it from high above, for now he enjoyed the oranges and pinks coloring the clouds above. With wide eyes he dashed back to the bathroom to grab a few towels and laid them on the lounge chairs outside.

Food. He should have food ready too.

Some cheese, pre-sliced to help his quick snack while working life style, some crackers, grapes, strawberries, pineapple, a bag of chips poured into a bowl, and a plate of cookies on the table seemed enough. A mix of sweet, tart, rich and bland was sure to appease Noel depending on her feelings at the moment. She was sure to taste quite a lot with Muse nearby. Introducing them was sure to be interesting, though it was possible they actually did know one another.

Stepping away from the table Devon’s blue eyes dropped deeply into the darkness beyond the stars, enveloped in black. He gazed upward and around the patio, into his home and at the pool/guest house, then off into the sky. The sound of the city below was faint, especially against the sound of Imagine Dragon’s playing on the radio. He urged the temperature to rise, warming the night from the low 70’s into the mid 80’s, but keeping the humidity down.

Devon chuckled, eyes flicking back to blue. It wouldn’t take much throughout the night to occasionally check in on the temperature and keep it kicked up. This was a pool night party after all and what was power over the weather if you didn’t ensure perfect party weather?

Why did swimsuit coverups exist? They were either sheer or holy, and not at all in a pious way.

Noel ditched the coverup, unsure of who even picked out these clothes, and just wore the dang two piece. It didn't matter. She'd gotten a message from Hadden around dusk saying that he was opening up his pool for just a few people. No pressure. No sun. Just some kind of normal relaxation thing.

The man loved his relaxation.

While they'd kept in touch, Noel hadn't actually seen Devon much in person since she'd come back from Plum Island. She'd gotten to know, and re-know, some of Haven's residents in the meantime. There was little else she could do, actually, with the stipulation that Noel had to be accompanied in order to go out.

Plus, this was the first time they would talk face to face and English to English. She'd get to call him on his crap directly, no translation needed.

She seemed to be the first one to make it up to the penthouse. It almost felt like she was getting away with something in being up here, even though she'd been invited.

"Hey." Noel padded barefoot out toward the pool in nothing more than her suit and the towel she'd wrapped around her waist. The whole scene was just so over the top Devon Hadden that she was equal measures of impressed and disgusted. Top of the world looking down, the warm and velvety embrace of night, and hey- were those cheese squares? "I think this might be the definition of spoiled."

The swimsuit made Sveta feel severely underdressed. Not just because it left a whole lot of skin uncovered, which made her feel uncomfortable to begin with, but also because she had an invitation to Devon's penthouse to some kind of a private party, and Sveta did not own swimwear that was even remotely fit for the occasion. In the end, she wore the one-piece swimsuit she used for swimming for training, one that was white and green with black lining and a low cut back. After some hesitation, she also put on a pair of gloves, made from the same material. When she swam to work out, she always wore them, in case she accidentally touched someone else. One could never be too careful.

Sveta walked into Devon's penthouse, impressed with the whole place, and the setup for the occasion. She noted that there were not many people around at all - she had expected a crowd, but all she saw was Devon himself (who looked gorgeous as ever in swim shorts) and a woman who seemed to have also just arrived. Sveta walked over with a smile.

"You said it was a private party, but now I feel really special" she chuckled, giving the place an appreciative look, then turned to the other woman "I do not think we have met?"

She was friendly, but did not offer a hand. She hoped Devon would have explained her powers. If he didn't, she would have to.

“Hey!” Devon grinned, calling back excitedly as Noel appeared in the living room and headed out to the pool.

>> "I think this might be the definition of spoiled."

“Well,” Devon’s excitement dropped a few levels quickly and his tone betrayed it, “You’re probably right. I mean, someone had to live here and I paid Haven for it. Or did you mean the food and everything? I couldn’t offer drinks and not food. The lights are nice though, right?” A fair flush rose in his face. She sure knew how to make him feel guilty.

He stopped, leaning to the side as he spotted Sveta come out of the elevator. His smile regained a bit of its warmth as he glanced to Noel and then passed her. Muse approached and made it clear she didn’t know Noel. Yep, introductions were definitely required.

>> "I do not think we have met?"

“Noel, Svetlana. Svetlana, Noel. You both actually have abilities triggered by touch so I figured this would be okay, especially as I figured a little privacy for hang time was good,” Devon chuckled. “I’ll leave it to you both to divulge what you wish. That’s not my place of course. Neither of you will have to worry about a crowd in the pool either. I’m just glad someone was online. It would have been embarrassing and lonely to open this up and then splash around by myself.”

His practiced breath to contain himself in the jittery energy of Muse’s presence came out a bit more like a sigh as he glanced at the pool and around the illuminated patio. The water’s ebbing light and small waves from the filter glowed back at them from the glass doors into the guest apartment across the patio. Devon wasn’t sure if he’d ever have a roommate but at least there’d likely be guests here and there, probably Haven members as things went.

“And you passed the bar,” he gestured back inside. “Right of the door. It’s pretty well stocked, and I’ve picked up a bit more whiskey and scotch but there’s rum and vodka and juices…”

Noel opened her mouth and crushed Devon with one observation. The memorymancer actually facepalmed when he deflated somewhat. Ugh. When would she learn to engage a little critical thinking before she opened her mouth?

The woman who followed up said something far more in line with what Noel had been trying to say. He was spoiling them and making this special. Not that he was spoiled.

They got a brief introduction. In that span, Noel both offered and retracted her hand for the shaking. Ah- okay. Usually Noel felt alright in small groups, but this one she was really screwing up. Her nervous energy felt like it was building. That was unusual for her.

"I can touch," Noel admitted, "So long as we're not making out, we should be fine on my end of things. I do memories and lies so I'll try not to be the killjoy." Sure, it would have been sad for Hadden to splash around all by himself. Lonely, maybe, but things were only embarrassing with other people around.

Like now. She tried to shake off that feeling of excess energy. Everyone had been more than kind so far. Noel didn't have to size either of them up physically. This wasn't going to come down to a fight.

"It's nice to meet you, Svetlana, and nice to finally straight talk, Hadden."

She was a little surprised that Hadden offered alcohol so freely considering her position. Would it be rude to not drink something? "I'm not sure what I like, but I'm more itching to splash around in the pretty colors. Do you mind if I hop in instead?" Noel peeled off her towel and found a safe spot on a chaise lounge, unabashed about the fresh pucker of scars on her torso. Today her wrist had the word "birthday" written on it in permanent marker.

Most of what she'd done thus far was recover and try to get some of her stamina back. She'd done a lot of jogging and more than a little eating. Her swimsuit already fit better than the first time she'd tried it on.

Devon seemed excited to have both of them as guests. Sveta had learned by now that he was genuine about these things; many other wealthy men would have had some ulterior motive for inviting two hot women to their private penthouse for a pool party, but Devon was the odd one out that actually wanted them to have drinks and be friends. It was one of the things that made Sveta feel at ease around him.

>>“Noel, Svetlana. Svetlana, Noel. You both actually have abilities triggered by touch so I figured this would be okay, especially as I figured a little privacy for hang time was good,”

"Oh. Nice to meet you." Sveta nodded to Noel. Powers triggered by touch? They definitely had something in common then... Sveta made a mental note to keep her distance in the pool. It was just the two of them, but until she knew that the other woman could do, she was going to play it safe. She was starting to realize why Devon did not invite more people to this party.

>>"I can touch. So long as we're not making out, we should be fine on my end of things. I do memories and lies so I'll try not to be the killjoy. It's nice to meet you, Svetlana, and nice to finally straight talk, Hadden."

"Oh, we are definitely not making out." Sveta said a little too hastily, then realized it might have come off wrong "I mean... not dat, because of you. Me kissing people... does bad things."

Devon was excusing himself from the encounter, which was probably for the better, given that both women were stumbling over their words.

>>“...And you passed the bar. Right of the door. It’s pretty well stocked, and I’ve picked up a bit more whiskey and scotch but there’s rum and vodka and juices…”

>>"I'm not sure what I like, but I'm more itching to splash around in the pretty colors. Do you mind if I hop in instead?"

"Thank you" Sveta smiled at their host. It was a real smile, a rare thing from her. She appreciated the thought he had put into inviting them, and the distance he offered with it. Sveta walked over to the bar to make herself a drink (little umbrella and all), before returning to the pool to dangle her feet into the water as she sipped the sweet-smelling cocktail. She watched Noel splash around.

"So... you work with memories?"

Devon, truly in innocence, chuckled at their exchange.

Hey I can touch, just can’t make out. I make memories. Nice to meet you. And hey Devon, lookie, I learned English. I swim now.

Oh no kissing, no way. Me kissing does bad things. But drink, yes. Okay, so memories?

“Your English is great now,” Devon said cheerfully at the woman in the pool. For now, he’d hold off on any inquiry, scars or not. Clearly she knew they’d be seen so she could bring them up when she wanted. His eyes brightened, not merely because of their blueness or their flickering light of the pool. It was always fun to see friends meet, let alone people he hoped could work together. Both deserved more trusted friends and he had a good feeling about these two.

“And you’re welcome!” he grinned at Sveta. With a bounce in his step he walked past her and over to the bar. Some ice went in a glass, followed quickly by some sprite. No drink for now; he hadn’t eaten much anyway. Back out he came, taking a few sips and setting it down on the table before grabbing a couple cubes of cheese and tossing them into his mouth. He covered it with a hand as he chewed.

As the two young ladies continued their discussion he sauntered over to the other side of the pool and sat down on the edge, sticking his legs and feet into the water. He sighed quietly and leaned back on his hands. It was good to have company.

It wasn't that Noel wanted to make out with Muse. It was that Muse didn't want Noel to make out with her that made the idea actually intriguing. Noel again tried to shake off her extra energy by rolling her shoulders and shaking out her legs.

"Bad things? I know about bad things." She did them all the time. Less and less these days. Noel had left her towel behind and now was making her way toward the pool's edge.

Teasing. That was the way out of this awkward hole. Noel tried to stick with what she knew. "Been shooting for sainthood lately, though." And wasn't she the model of sainthood now, prancing around in what amounted to underwear?

> "So... you work with memories?"

"I can put a temporary block in your head to make you forget something for a while." Noel reported the facts. "Or, I can access your memories like a filing cabinet. So I could pull all of whatever you remember about the last 3 weeks, for example. Or pick out every session from your mixed martial arts training." Assuming she had some, but that was just an example.

Her English was great? She shook her head at the idea of how normally abnormal all this was.

"Great? No. My English is fantastic. Max went to private schools and had family invested in his tutelage. Now, so do I." It was nice to have the grounding feeling that having parents left her with.

Noel approached the poolside and watched the water for a moment or two. So pretty. One step back and then two forward and she balled up in order to whoop and cannonball into the pool. The water rocked and lapped at the walls in a vain attempt to escape and Noel tapped the bottom of the pool before surfacing again.

She whipped her head around and cackled when it slapped her back. A little finger combing and it was out of her face, though.

>>"Bad things? I know about bad things. Been shooting for sainthood lately, though."

Sveta chuckled at that. Sainthood, indeed. Joining Haven had felt like something like that, a turn from a hot mess of a vigilante life to actually doing something good and even believing in it. But it was reassuring to know that Sveta was not the only one on the team who had a questionable past, related to her abilities.
She dangled her feet in the cool water as she listened to Noel's explanation of her powers.

>>"I can put a temporary block in your head to make you forget something for a while. Or, I can access your memories like a filing cabinet. So I could pull all of whatever you remember about the last 3 weeks, for example. Or pick out every session from your mixed martial arts training."

Sveta arched an eyebrow, sipping her cocktail.

"Yes. Let's not ever touch." she grinned. Boosting that kind of a power... they would both end up forgetting their own names, or with a mix of memories neither of them wanted to divulge. It was a fascinating power, the way Noel described it, but it definitely did not need a boost.

Devon joined them at the pool, and complimented Noel on her English.

>>"Great? No. My English is fantastic. Max went to private schools and had family invested in his tutelage. Now, so do I."

Sveta blinked.

"English... is not your first language?" she asked, when Noel resurfaced from the pool. As a foreign person herself, she sometimes had trouble picking up on someone's accent... she had not noticed Noel's. Devon's compliment had not been misplaced.

>> "Great? No. My English is fantastic. Max went to private schools and had family invested in his tutelage. Now, so do I."

Devon grinned widely, which slowly morphed into a smirk and a slow nod. “Is that so?” he asked in a faux-innocent tone. The grin returned as Noel rose from the water, slapping her hair back.

>> "English... is not your first language?" Muse asked.

“That’s a good question. Maybe it was in the past but not of recent?” Devon asked, canting his head to the side. His feet and legs slowly swayed back and forth in the water. “It was only a couple months ago we were talking by way of translating app.

“Noel has to work hard to keep her memories, and trust in those around her. She’s pretty awesome for her adaptability considering her power’s impact,” Devon nodded slowly. “I mean I was immediately impressed.” He glanced from Muse to Noel, his eyes brightened by the blue LEDs. “You both have had to adapt to how your abilities affect or interact with others. It’s pretty amazing. Trust, survival, how others might try to use you… I figured you both had a fair amount in common even if your powers don’t.”

“And I think you both are pretty awesome people,” Devon chuckled. “I mean, that helps, right?”

While Noel was trying to remember what her first language might have been Hadden swooped in to answer for her. She figured he knew as well as she did, but he just sort of kept talking. My, but he was excitable, wasn't he? It had to be his enthusiasm that was catching. Noel treaded water enjoying the feel and stubbornly not allowing herself to feel silly for being the only one in the pool.

"I'm pretty sure I learned English at least. I do know quite a bit of Finnish still after my last job bodyguarding a little Finnish kid, but without a regular speaking partner I suspect that memory space will be repurposed for something else."

Svetlana's accent was classic textbook Russian as far as Noel could tell. She chewed over what she knew which she decided was not enough to be helpful. Did Tatu lyrics count?

"If you were hoping for a practice partner, we wouldn't have to kiss. Indirect works just as well." Noel indicated Muse's cocktail. She could drink after her. But, adjusting the languages she knew did not sound like a pursuit to be handled in the pool. "Uh- unless your power works indirectly too?"

Hadden's praise was, frankly, embarrassing. She dipped low in the water, using only her arms to keep her afloat for a bit to give those legs a rest.

> “You both have had to adapt to how your abilities affect or interact with others. It’s pretty amazing. Trust, survival, how others might try to use you…"

What kind of 'bad things' did Svetlana do? Noel turned to look at the blonde.

>>“Noel has to work hard to keep her memories, and trust in those around her. She’s pretty awesome for her adaptability considering her power’s impact.”

Memories. So she didn't only mess with them, she also lost some of her own. Sveta shuddered at the thought. She couldn't even imagine what it would be like to not remember what your mother tongue was, or where you came from. Sure, there were things in her past she wanted to forget... but not quite like that.

>>“And I think you both are pretty awesome people. I mean, that helps, right?”

Sveta was starting to see where Tempest was going with this private meeting, although she was still not sure how it would all work out. Putting two women with trust issues and dangerous powers in the same pool?...

"Dat's flattering." she smirked at him, raising her glass.

>>"I'm pretty sure I learned English at least. I do know quite a bit of Finnish still after my last job bodyguarding a little Finnish kid, but without a regular speaking partner I suspect that memory space will be repurposed for something else."

Sveta blinked. So... Noel could also pick up languages if she wanted to, even if just for a little while. That had to be a useful ability... she was starting to see why Devon picked her to be on his Haven team. Sure, he was a nice guy who cared about helping people - but he also had a talent for recognizing talent. Sveta was not naive enough to think it could only be one or the other.

>>"If you were hoping for a practice partner, we wouldn't have to kiss. Indirect works just as well. Uh- unless your power works indirectly too?"

"Indirectly?" Sveta arched an eyebrow, not sure what she meant "I... have an aura, it gives people a buzz, dat's indirect I guess... but for the boosting, we have to touch. If I actually kissed you... you might memory wipe half the city."

>> “…I do know quite a bit of Finnish still after my last job bodyguarding a little Finnish kid…”

Devon tilted his head slightly at the mention but didn’t say anything about it. Noel the bodyguard sounded right. She was able-bodied, built her memory and life around recent experience, and was otherwise dedicated to whom she was working with. He idly hoped she would find Haven to be the right sort of group for that kind of life, if she wanted it.

He grinned when Noel asked about Muse’s indirect abilities and her sinking attempt at hiding when he praised her. She was a survivor and that sort of adaptability was praiseworthy, let alone all the mutants that could related. The idea that mutants needed more physical-manifestation mutants to look up to occurred to him too. It couldn’t all be the stereotypically human and good looking. That wasn’t right. Was he being discriminatory based on appearance? Anyone could join Haven but what about leadership?

Blue eyes focused on the two women before him. The LIE needed more women as well…

>> "Dat's flattering." (Muse) smirked at him, raising her glass.

Devon grinned broadly.

>> If I actually kissed you... you might memory wipe half the city."

“Wow, now that’d be a kiss to, er… remember?” Devon chuckled. “Or not. You might also be able to recall memories easier, even your own? Or maybe retain them differently? With Secret Keeper you three might be able to lock some memories in place…”

He shrugged a shoulder, “At least that’s my hope. I’d love if we could help Noel retain some memories, hold them in place. Should she want to try anyway but that’s up to you both. I mean I wanted you both to meet anyway.” Devon smiled again, finishing off his sprite. If things kept comfortable with this introduction maybe he’d move to an alcoholic drink after all.

“Sorry, I always get spinning about what could be, how abilities work, how might they grow… If you ever train with me, you’ll get tired of it, I’m sure. And I can be talkative at the best times, let alone with Muse nearby. She so inspires me,” he grinned.

Devon laughed again, “Sorry.”

> "Indirectly?"

Oh. Noel was doing a bad job of explaining. She wasn't used to explaining. She was used to just doing things and not caring about the consequences.

"Ha! The hype is you? I thought I was just really nervous." And that wasn't like her either. Noel was feeling a jumble and she didn't like it. Now, at least, she had a reasonable explanation.

Hadden made jokes. Noel was pretty sure he was about to start juggling or something,
he was so keyed up.

"But, really, you guys don't have to worry about mass memory loss even if you're a booster, Svetlana." She wanted to get that one cleared up right away. People were scared of psychics. People could be scared of Noel, but she didn't want them to fear her power...

"I can't look everybody in the city in the eyes all at once and it doesn't work on camera. Sounds like the worst that would happen..." Noel rolled it around in her head for a second and ended with a shrug. "Well, no offense, but the worst might just be that I'd get all of your memories. And that could happen anyway. If I closed my eyes and we touched, I'm pretty sure absolutely nothing would happen." Er. Not that Noel was advocating for that.

Hadden did love his Secret Keeper. Noel would have to give in and meet her eventually, she was sure. It was just weird... being on the other side of secrets.

"Anyway, all of that to say, Svetlana, I can pick up Russian without having to touch you at all. If you're bored some day. Hit me up. All we'd have to do is share a drink." Noel sank under the water and tapped the ground of the pool again, curious to see if she was still buzzed with all the water to separate them.

No such luck. Maybe she was nervous. She just didn't get why.

Noel surfaced on the far side of the pool so that she could pull herself up on the ladder. Hadden was talking about training powers which was laughable.

"Gonna go out on a limb and say me an' Svetlana both train everything except our powers, Hadden." Noel had tried, and tried, and tried to turn it off. For now, Noel was going to go grab a drink. Water, probably.

>>"Ha! The hype is you? I thought I was just really nervous."

"Dat's me" Sveta grinned, splashing her feet in the water as she sipped her drink. Some people never truly realized that the buzz came for her; not everyone reacted to it as strongly as Devon did. He got positively bouncy every time he was around her. Which was kind of funny, from a guy like him. Especially because he also tended to talk a lot...

>>"Wow, now that’d be a kiss to, er… remember? Or not. You might also be able to recall memories easier, even your own? Or maybe retain them differently? With Secret Keeper you three might be able to lock some memories in place… At least that’s my hope. I’d love if we could help Noel retain some memories, hold them in place. Should she want to try anyway but that’s up to you both. I mean I wanted you both to meet anyway.”

Okay, so Noel did not only mess with memories... she also lost some of her own. That had to suck. There were parts of the past that Sveta did not like to remember, but it was still better than having a hole in her mind, or not knowing what happened to her, and what happened to someone else. The possibilities were interesting though, and Devon clearly had a knack for connecting mutants whose powers were likely to work well together in some way. Had he been a bad guy, it would have made him very dangerous. Especially with Sveta at his side.

>>"But, really, you guys don't have to worry about mass memory loss even if you're a booster, Svetlana. I can't look everybody in the city in the eyes all at once and it doesn't work on camera. Sounds like the worst that would happen... Well, no offense, but the worst might just be that I'd get all of your memories. And that could happen anyway. If I closed my eyes and we touched, I'm pretty sure absolutely nothing would happen."

"Still, let's not try." Sveta suggested with a smile, raising her glass to Noel "I like you, but I only experiment in a controlled environment. Learned dat the hard way..." She, and half the city. Yet another memory she did not want Noel to borrow.

>>“Sorry, I always get spinning about what could be, how abilities work, how might they grow… If you ever train with me, you’ll get tired of it, I’m sure. And I can be talkative at the best times, let alone with Muse nearby. She so inspires me,”

Sveta scoffed at the pun. No one had called her that for quite a long time. She liked the nickname, and now that she worked for Haven, she considered picking it up again. It was only fitting, for the positive work they were doing around here...

"I try my best."

>>"Anyway, all of that to say, Svetlana, I can pick up Russian without having to touch you at all. If you're bored some day. Hit me up. All we'd have to do is share a drink."

"I'll pick you up on dat later." she nodded. It would have been nice to have someone speak with her in Russian. It had been a while.
Noel went for a swim across the pool, possibly to get away from the buzz. When she emerged, she did not seem too impressed with Devon's idea of training.

>>"Gonna go out on a limb and say me an' Svetlana both train everything except our powers, Hadden."

"Mine are not very trainable" Sveta added with a nod "Believe me I tried. De best to do is to train with each person I'd work with, to make sure dey know how it works, what dey can use it for, and what to be careful about... It's individual training, mostly."